Snake Inside
by TeenageFaery
Summary: I hate this title. I wanted it to have a big part in the story, but it doesn't, so ignore it, please!
1. Default Chapter

Snake Inside, Chapter 1  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this story or in the Harry Potter series itself. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. Don't sue.   
  
Author's note: Hermione/Draco. Don't like? Don't read. It's that simple. Don't read just to flame. That's just stupid. Don't flame, period. Constructive Criticism, people. It helps make the world go 'round.  
  
Rating: R  
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He's like a snake inside the grass, his tongue flicking in and out, dangerous, daring. He slithers around, hidden. And he likes it that way, so when you turn your back, he can strike, and fill you with poisonous venom. I think I rather like it that way as well, as it always keeps me on my toes.   
  
I wonder, sometimes, if he trained himself to be that way, or he was born a snake. A cold, silver, light-eyed snake, that can either kill you or mate with you.   
  
He likes to play games with me, as well. He likes to speak in tongues that his father taught him, so ancient even I don't know them. When he speaks English, he hints at things, speaks in analogies and metaphors, similes and prepositions, never making complete sense, but somehow, at the same time, it's  
insanely clear.   
  
He's a murderer by blood, as I understand it. A vulture, feeding off the dead. His father taught him the Dark Ways, and he wouldn't want to see them put to waste. Everyone expects him to be Voldemort's servant for life. Sometimes I wonder about it myself. Although, I must admit, somewhere deep inside of me, I don't think he has the guts to do it. Part of me thinks he isn't as rebellious as he wants us to think. He's probably just a little boy inside a shell. The other part thinks he's Lucifer reincarnated.  
  
But that's silly. And impossible. All of it. None of it makes sense. Not now, not ever. But, at the same time, it's perfectally understandable, and makes total sense. It's very confusing.  
  
Which is why I like it so much. 


	2. Chapter 2

Snake Inside, Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this story or in the Harry Potter series itself. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. Don't sue.   
  
Author's note: Hermione/Draco. Don't like? Don't read. It's that simple. Don't read just to flame. That's just stupid. Don't flame, period. Constructive Criticism, people. It helps make the world go 'round.  
  
Rating: R  
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She's infuriating. She thinks she is so smart, unmatchable at a game of wit. I shall show her up, though. I don't know why I care about beating her so much. I want to beat her more than her stupid little friends. Maybe because she's the only one who could even put up a good fight. The others are rather,  
how do I put this, moronic.   
  
Potter may have courage and daring and a sob story, and Weasley may be caring and naive at the same time, but Granger, no, Granger is different. She cares, but not to much. She has fun, but never lets it get in the way. Her wit is by far all the Gryffindor house has. She keeps the points coming as Potter and Weasley bring them down with some stupid 'act of courage'.  
  
She know's it, too. She tries to keep up with me, and usually does. We're the two top seventh years. She's above me, though. But by the end, I will be better.  
  
People babble on about 'love-hate' relationships. This is not one of them. I assure you, I have no love for her. Nor will I ever. She's nothing to me, and I am nothing to her. We're playing a mere game. A challenging game of wits, to see who, in the end, was better. Although, I must say, I am having fun.  
  
Weasley and Potter don't understand. They always blindly stick up for her, and she always has to call them down, like dogs. It's disgusting. After they snarl their empty threats, she drags them away, flipping her now sleek hair over her shoulder.  
  
And I just laugh. That's all I can do. Because that was just another round in our continuous game.   
  
But slowly, the stakes are getting higher, the prizes larger. It's nearing the end. I'll do anything to win, as will she.  
  
I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting end to a seven-year-long game. 


	3. Chapter 3

Snake Inside, Chapter 3  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this story or in the Harry Potter series itself. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. Don't sue.   
  
Author's note: Hermione/Draco. Don't like? Don't read. It's that simple. Don't read just to flame. That's just stupid. Don't flame, period. Constructive Criticism, people. It helps make the world go 'round.  
  
Rating: R  
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"Well, well, Granger. Nice look you have. Feeling out of sorts?" Malfoy smiled. He knew what was going on. Potter had finally told Granger he didn't like her the way she liked him. He had seen her fly out of the empty classroom like a bat out of hell, crying. He also saw an angst-ridden Harry walk out after her, slowly.  
  
"Fuck you, ferret boy! I'm not in a good enough goddamn mood for this." she snapped.  
  
"Ohh...I see. It's Potter. So the gangly wimp finally   
confessed that he has no feelings for you?" he sneered.  
  
Hermione stalked up to him in the empty hallway, pressing his back against the wall. "What the hell did you overhear, you eavesdropper?"  
  
"Enough to know that you cry over Potter, the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. Slimy bastard should have died. But I also know that you should get your mudblood hands off of me before I show you what really hurts."  
  
"I'm not afraid of you, Malfoy. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will kill you." she moved her face close to his. "I promise you that much."  
  
She stood a while longer, his breath hitting her neck in small wisps. She liked the feeling, but moved away quickly. 'No need to have feelings for a snake'.   
  
Draco ran his tongue over his lips. What was Granger   
planning? What did the mudblood have up her sleeve? He had been caught off guard by her sudden closeness, and he didn't like that feeling. It made him feel vulnerable.  
  
"Granger, I am equally unafraid of you. Your threats are empty to me, seeing as you can't even hold onto Harry, the worthless git. Soon, you won't even have Ron. He always sides with Harry. Poor Granger. All alone."  
  
Malfoy turned on his heel, and walked down the hallway, his outline fading in the darkness.  
  
Hermione stood there a moment. He was right. It was uncanny, but he was right. Damn snake. Bastard.  
  
"Damn you, Draco Malfoy." the name left an unpleasant taste in her mouth.   
  
When she finally reached the Gryffindor common room, and the painting hole swung open, all eyes flew to her, a mixture of pity and 'I told you so's'. She couldn't take it. She turned and walked right back out.  
  
Where would she go? She had no where. She ran towards the nearest door and flung it open, tears blinding her vision. She found herself outside.   
  
Walking down near the lake, she sat underneath a huge tree. She couldn't control it anymore, and broke down crying. "Malfoy's right. I'm not going to have anyone! I'm a failure at this, just like they said I would be. Dammit! Everyone's right but me..."  
  
She scrunched into a ball on the ground, face down on the grass, and cried, slowly crying herself to sleep.  
  
Up in the tree, a pale, drawn face twisted at the sounds of someone crying. He didn't like to hear people cry. It hurt him. Reminded him of things.  
  
When she was asleep, he jumped down out of the tree with cat-like grace. Dropping the blanket he had brought out with him on top of her, he walked back to the huge school that would be his prison for only one more year.   
  
He looked back at the sleeping girl for only a moment. Her tear-stained cheeks showed a human touch that wasn't normally seen. For once her face wasn't shoved behind a book. Pity she had to cry and ruin the moment. 


	4. Chapter 4

Snake Inside, Chapter 4  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this story or in the Harry Potter series itself. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. Don't sue.   
  
Author's note: Hermione/Draco. Don't like? Don't read. It's that simple. Don't read just to flame. That's just stupid. Don't flame, period. Constructive Criticism, people. It helps make the world go 'round.  
  
Rating: R  
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"Where's Hermione?" Ron frantically asked everyone he could find. She hadn't come back after talking to Harry. Ron's mothering instinct kicked in. He didn't want her to do anything stupid that everyone would regret.  
  
Harry shrugged his shoulders in his friend's direction. He felt bad, but he had told her the truth. That's all that mattered.   
  
Ron's shoulders slumped and his head dropped. It was   
impossible to find Hermione in this huge school. There were so many possibilities.  
  
"Looking for this?" a large voice said cheerfully, as the portrait swung open. It was Hagrid, carrying a shivering, sleeping Hermione in his arms.  
  
Ron dashed forward and wrapped his arms around Hagrid's larger arm, in a sort of hug. "Where was she, Hagrid?"  
  
"She was outside, under a tree. Shiverin' to death. Poor thing."   
  
Ron took her and carried her upstairs to the girls'   
dormitory, wobbling and teetering with every step.  
  
"He was worried sick." Harry mumbled. "Thank you, Hagrid."  
  
"It was my pleasure, 'Arry. Keep an eye on 'er." he turned and left, letting the portrait hole close back up.  
  
When Ron came back down, his face was flushed bright red. "She's heavier than she looks. I tucked her in, with extra blankets and pillows. She woke up and then fell right back to sleep."  
  
"Ron. Hurry up! You, too, Harry. We need to get to breakfast. I'm starved!" Seamus Finnigan said, patting his stomach. "I need my energy!"  
  
They nodded him and followed, one thinking of Hermione, and the other two thinking of how hungry they were. 


	5. Chapter 5

Snake Inside, Chapter 5  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this story or in the Harry Potter series itself. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. Don't sue.   
  
Author's note: Hermione/Draco. Don't like? Don't read. It's that simple. Don't read just to flame. That's just stupid. Don't flame, period. Constructive Criticism, people. It helps make the world go 'round.  
  
Rating: R  
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Draco peered at the Gryffindor table. No Granger. Where could she be? She had been outside last night, but was now gone. Maybe she left. Maybe she's sick. Maybe she's dead. Over dramatic thoughts filtered through Draco's head, his mind swimming.  
  
Ron, Harry, and Seamus were shoveling food into their mouths, not seeming to notice one of them was missing. Surely Weasley had noticed. He hung all over her like an over-protective brother, just like he treated Ginny.  
  
Then there she was. Her face pale, her hair drawn into a tight pony-tail, her mouth a straight line. She sat next to Ron, who started lecturing her. Draco could tell from the hand gestures he was making. They weren't vulgar for once, but still...   
  
Hermione visibly sighed, crossing her arms across her chest. Ron placed a full plate of food in front of her, and she shook her head, clamping her mouth shut.  
  
He watched her speaking to him, and him to her. He watched the movements, trying to decipher what they were saying.  
  
'No, Ron! I'm not sick, and I'm not hungry. Calm down. I'm fine.'  
  
'You're not fine. You've never skipped a meal. You never sleep outside. Something's wrong. Why won't you tell me what it is?'  
  
'There's nothing to tell.'  
  
Draco, annoyed by Weasley's ignorance, stood and walked past. He leaned close to her ear, noticing her, Weasley, and most of the Gryffindor's visibly stiffen and freeze. "Better eat, Granger. You'll need your strength to argue with me, remember?"  
  
She snorted quietly, so only they could hear, and he walked away, out the door. When he turned, she was eating small bites of food.  
  
Ron threw up his hands. 


	6. Chapter 6

Snake Inside, Chapter 6  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this story or in the Harry Potter series itself. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. Don't sue.   
  
Author's note: Hermione/Draco. Don't like? Don't read. It's that simple. Don't read just to flame. That's just stupid. Don't flame, period. Constructive Criticism, people. It helps make the world go 'round.  
  
Rating: R  
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It was driving her crazy, to see him lick his lips like that. But it was also driving her crazy that she couldn't take her eyes off of him.  
  
"Bugger." she muttered.  
  
"What?" Harry said, his head snapping up.  
  
"Nothing, Harry. I didn't say anything. Go back to work."  
  
Harry did as he was told, and bent back over his potion.  
  
Draco felt someone looking at him, and lifted his head and looked around, his eyes meeting hers.  
  
"Dammit!" she snapped to herself, jerking her head away.  
  
"What was that, Miss Granger?" Snape said curtly.  
  
"Nothing, sir."  
  
"Get back to work!" he snapped.  
  
She nodded and went back to helping Harry with his potion.  
  
Draco wondered what she had been staring at. Certainly not him. Certainly not. Why would she?   
  
Maybe the real question was why did he care so much? Why did it matter what she had been staring at? It didn't. He had to repeat it to himself over and over. It still didn't make sense.  
  
When Snape had let the class finally go, she quickly grabbed her bag and bolted from the room, Harry and Ron left behind. Draco jumped up and followed.   
  
"What was the matter back there, Granger?" he called after her, slowing his pace.  
  
She froze. "Nothing is the matter, Malfoy. Go back to your mindless drones and leave me alone a bit."  
  
"Now that's not a very nice way to speak to me, is it, Granger?"  
  
And suddenly, it seemed, he was next to her, pinning her back to the wall.   
  
"Now, Granger, say you're sorry!" he said coldly, cruelly.   
  
"Never, Malfoy." she spat back, angrily. "Why the bloody hell would I ever say that I was sorry to you?"  
  
And the inevitable happened. He didn't know why, but he then did the one thing he never thought he would do.  
  
He kissed her. He kissed her forcefully, his left hand in her hair, his right around the back of her neck.  
  
She was shocked. She melted into it a bit, then remembered what was going on. She bit down on his lower lip, hard. She drew blood.  
  
He yelped loudly, and jumped away from her. "What the hell, Granger! You didn't have to bite me!"  
  
She flung her bag back over her shoulder and stalked away. "Yes, I did!" she snapped to no one in particular. 


	7. Chapter 7

Snake Inside, Chapter 7  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this story or in the Harry Potter series itself. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. Don't sue.   
  
Author's note: Hermione/Draco. Don't like? Don't read. It's that simple. Don't read just to flame. That's just stupid. Don't flame, period. Constructive Criticism, people. It helps make the world go 'round.  
  
Rating: R  
-----------------------------------------------------  
  
At dinner, all sorts of rumors were circulating about Draco's swollen lip. Maybe he had gotten into a fight. Maybe he bit it himself. Or maybe, someone else had. And everyone thought that the someone was Pansy. And she was basking in it. She wanted everyone to think that she had bitten Draco's lip in a mad fit of passion.  
  
Hermione was disgusted. She was maybe even jealous, even though she would never admit it. There was no way she would give Pansy the satisfaction of making her jealous. Bitch. She hated that girl so much! It made her want to hit someone. And that confused her. She hardly ever wanted to inflict harm on others, but Draco had all these different thoughts and feelings rushing through her. It upset her and made her happy at the same time.  
  
She felt eyes on her. She looked up to see Draco peering at her thoughtfully. Then she saw Pansy trying to get his attention.   
  
Pansy was incredibly angry that all Draco could do was stare at Hermione. And she wanted everyone to know. She jumped up from her chair. "Dammit, Draco! Why can't you pay attention to me instead of that stupid Mudblood?"  
  
She pointed at Hermione, and everyone turned to look at her.  
  
Hermione turned bright red, obviously embarrassed. She stood up quickly and nearly bolted from the Great Hall, followed by cat-calls and barks.   
  
She ran down the front hall, outside the castle, out into the dark. She ran to Hagrid's hut, knowing he wouldn't be there. He was at dinner, laughing and joking with Professor McGonagall. When she burst into the tiny hut, she flopped down onto the floor. Her eyes welled up, glassing over, but she started laughing hysterically.  
  
When the soft knock came on the door, she froze. She stood up calmly and opened the door, expecting Ron and Harry, even Hagrid or Ginny. But the eyes she was met by... Draco Malfoy stood at the door, his eyebrow arched, his head cocked, his body language saying nothing but arrogance.  
  
"What, Malfoy? What are you staring at? Have you come to laugh at the fact that your little girlfriend embarrassed me in front of the whole school? Come to rub salt in the already throbbing wound?"  
  
"Well, actually, Granger, I came to see if you were alright. After all, Potter and Weasley weren't exactly coming to your rescue."  
  
"I don't need anyone to come to my rescue! I can do fine on my own."  
  
"That's your problem, Hermione." Draco said, flopping down onto Hagrid's over-sized bed. "You take the weight of the whole bloody world and place it on your shoulders. You don't let anyone take care of you."  
  
"So we're on a first name basis? Oh, and I don't need someone to take care of me."  
  
"I think you do."  
  
"What do you know? You're just a spoiled, rich snob who has everything because Daddy can give it."   
  
"You listen, Granger. My father has nothing to do with this. And if you ever bring him up again, I'll beat some sense into you."  
  
"Judging from the mark on your lip, Malfoy, you probably would lose."  
  
"Care to try again, Hermione?" he sneered, emphasizing her name.  
  
This game is going to get out of control, she thought. But if it is, I might as well win. That bloody bastard.  
  
She did the only thing she could think to do. She nearly flung herself at him. She kissed him, clawing his neck at the same time, drawing blood. He didn't notice. He was too busy kissing back and holding her head in his hands.   
  
And it felt good. 


End file.
